Isle of Wight Public Libraries

An alternative approach to budget

cuts.
Tim Coates
February 2011
 .

“Figures presented should be clear, consistent,

complete and comprehensible. Otherwise it is
impossible for councillors to judge priorities and for
local residents to understand how their money is
spent”
 Isle of Wight Libraries Budget 2010- 2011
Expenditure of funds Budget Book Central Libraries
Library Staff Costs £1,132,522 £340,447 £792,075
Library Property Costs £209,881 £49,984 £159,897
Library IT Revenue Costs £17,132 £17,132
Library materials for lending £267,879 £267,879
Library Transport costs £26,852 £25,192 £1,660
Other costs and services £192,824 £182,019 £10,805
Unexplained Balance to CIPFA return £85,400 £85,400
CIPFA return: Total Expenditure £1,932,490 £700,174 £1,232,316
Sources of funds
CIPFA: Council Library Budget £1,787,663 £680,809 £1,106,854
Income from library service £144,827 £19,365 £125,462
£1,932,490 £700,174 £1,232,316
% of council funding 32.1% 61.9%
 Almost one third of the funds are not spent in the
libraries

2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
Total centre costs £0.7m
0.8
Total libraries costs £1.2m
0.6
Total library funds £1.9m
0.4
0.2
0
Total funds £1.9m Funds spent on libraries
£1.2m Funds spent in
the centre £0.7m
 The council’s proposal

In order to meet the budget pressure of The Isle of

Wight Council proposed to withdraw funding from
many existing libraries and take other cost-cutting
and income-raising actions in the library service.
 Recommendation :

The priority for making savings should be reducing non

library based work creating a situation where the
libraries stand on their own and are not dependent
on a central office.
This will reduce cost and increase the ability of libraries
to respond to local need.
Typical library management structure

Councillor

Director

Head of
Culture

Chief Librarian

Library Distribution
Librarians
Management and IT
Team
Team Bibliography

Area
Area Specialities
Management
Management and Services
Team

Library Library
Manager Manager

Library staff
Reduced library management structure

Councillor

Director

Head of Operations
(Borough Librarian)

Individual Library
Manager

Library staff and Specialities and

Librarians services
Typical library supply chain in consortium or stand
alone

Publisher’s
Wholesaler Library Supplier
Distributor

Council Bibliographic
Individual library Council Distribution
service
 Reduced library supply chain

Publisher’s Wholesaler
(with standard
Distributor processing)

Individual
library
 Supply to libraries

Arrangements should be made with library suppliers so that

each individual library orders and receives its own shelf
ready supplies. These work elsewhere.

Each library should be given access to several suppliers

If necessary supply contracts should be reviewed to

maintain high value and flexibility
 Library Supply

With this new arrangement each library manager should be free

to decide what to order, how to handle reservations and
when to arrange transfers from other libraries.

Their budget will be allocated monthly and they will have the
responsibility to their own local community for providing for
and meeting their needs.

The library manager is also free to manage the staff budget and
arrange opening hours to suit the local community, the use of
volunteers and other outreach activities.
 Proposals

Budget
- Site professional librarians in libraries
- Reduce office and property costs
- Give each library manager more autonomy
- Reduce council support service charges

Following
- Review library property costs
- Renegotiate terms of supply contracts
- Review library staff rotas
- Create refit programme
 Proposal to save £600,000
Expenditure of funds Budget Book Central Libraries
Library Staff Costs £792,075 nil £792,075
Library Property Costs £139,897 nil £139,897
Library IT Costs £17,132 £17,132
Library materials for lending £267,879 £267,879
Library Transport costs £26,852 £5,000
Other costs and services £70,000 £70,000
Unexplained Balance to CIPFA return £40,000 £40,000
CIPFA return: Total Expenditure £1,331,983 £57,132 £1,274,851
Sources of funds
CIPFA: Council Library Budget £1,187,156 £57,132 £1,130,024
Income from library service £144,827 £144,827
£1,331,983 £57,132 £1,274,851
% of council funding 4.8% 95.2%
 Proposed use of library funds

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50% Central £0.06m
40% Libraries £1.13m
30% Total £1.19m
20%
10%
0%
Total Library Service Cost Libraries Cost £1.13m,
£1.19m Central Cost £0.06m